Rudwan Khalil Abubaker

Born in Sudan, Rudwan Khalil Abubaker (1978–2004)[1] was a Canadian independent film actor and amateur model from Vancouver, British Columbia who was killed by Russian security forces in Chechnya on October 7, 2004.[2]

His family came to Canada from Eritrea as refugees, with their four children.[3][4] Abubaker was accepted into Vancouver Community College to study information technology.[4] A member of the Dar al-Madinah Islamic Society Mosque in Vancouver,[5] he was a "gentle" man who loved soccer and hip hop music,[4][6] and had just finished the Hajj and visiting relatives in Dubai and was headed to a wedding in Azerbaijan with his Canadian friend Kamal Elbahja, and hoped to meet up with B.C. friend Azer Tagiev in the area.[2][3][4]

“ I would like to see the Imams who send young people over to die charged ”

—Phil Rankin, lawyer for Abubaker's family[7]

While in Dubai, Abubaker phoned his family to tell them that he was considering staying in the region to open a hip-hop storefront, and that Elbahja was going to head off to Russia.[4]

Abubaker's body was identified by his B.C. driver's license and Canadian passport[5] which showed that he had been to London and Amsterdam.[8] When his family asked for his body, Russia refused stating that it had been buried where he fell.[3] Russia claims he was an explosives expert.[2] His family was represented by lawyer Phil Rankin, who had earlier defended Essam Marzouk during his application for refugee status.[4]

References

  1. ^ CBC News, December 13, 2004
  2. ^ a b c MacLeon, Ian. Ottawa Citizen, "The warning lights were all blinking red", February 23, 2008
  3. ^ a b c CBC, Family of Rudwan Abubaker says he wasn't bomb-making rebel, December 13, 2004
  4. ^ a b c d e f Freeze, Colin, Globe and Mail, "Canadians' ties with Chechen insurgents probed", October 16, 2004
  5. ^ a b CTV News, B.C. police investigating mosque leader, October 24, 2004
  6. ^ CBC, "Abubaker's mosque preached hatred of Jews, October 22, 2004
  7. ^ Bell, Stewart. "The Martyr's Oath", 2005.
  8. ^ CBC, "Vancouver man reportedly killed in Chechnya", October 8, 2004